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Europe (1848-1871)

The Revolutions of 1848 (1848)

Italian Unification (1848-1870)

Summary

For centuries, one central goal of Russian foreign policy was to obtain a warm
water port in the south--namely, at the Bosporus Straits and the Strait of the
Dardanelles, the small waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean and
Mediterranean Seas. In 1854, the decaying Ottoman Empire controlled that
essential waterway and Russia sought increased power in this region.

In 1853, St. Petersburg demanded that the Ottoman Empire recognize Russia's
right to protect Eastern Orthodox believers in Turkey. When Turkey refused,
Russia sent troops into Ottoman territory. Fearing increased Russian power and
an upset to the balance of power on the Continent, Great Britain and France
declared war on Russia on March 28, 1854. Russia fared well against its weaker
neighbor to the south, destroying the Turkish fleet off the coast of Sinope, a
port city in north-central Asia Minor. However, in September 1854, the British
and French laid siege to Sevastopol, Russia's heavily fortified chief naval
base in the Black Sea, lying on the Crimean peninsula. After just under one
year of constant battle, the Russian abandoned the fortress, blowing up their
fortifications and sinking their own ships. Meanwhile, at nearby Balaklava,
British troops charged down a narrow valley that was flanked by Russian guns on
both sides. Nearly every British soldier fell dead in what came to be called
the Valley of Death. The name of the British group was the Light Brigade,
giving rise to the famous Alfred, Lord Tennyson poem, "The Charge of the Light
Brigade."

Russia's new tsar, Alexander II, sued for peace in 1856. In the resulting
Peace of Paris, Russia relinquished its claim as Christian protector in
Turkey, the Black Sea was neutralized, and the balance of power was maintained.

Commentary

The Crimean War had the highest casualty rate of any conflict in Europe
between 1815 and 1914, the century-long peace maintained by the balance of
power. Disease killed many, but poor leadership killed thousands more. It was
the final war in which the Ottoman Empire had any victorious role, though even
in the Crimea, Russia fared quite well against the Turks. The greater
importance of the Crimean War is embodied in one international and one national
element.

In terms of European international relations, the Crimean War marked the end of
the veritable charade of Russian military dominance on the Continent. Granted,
the Russian army was the largest force due to its sheer numbers; however, it was
soundly defeated by smaller British and French forces, and its navy proved
utterly useless and backward by the middle of the nineteenth century. It was
Russia who guaranteed to maintain order and balance after the defeat of the
Napoleon--it did so with Austria, Prussia, and France since then. Now, that
power was effectively eliminated; therefore, the demise of the balance of power
could not be far behind.